A remodel that respects L.A.'s tradition of modernism - 1991-1992 Western Home Awards

Sunset, Oct, 1991

HOMAGE TO Schindler" was the complimentary way this gutsy addition in Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighborhood was described by juror Ehrlich.

Powerful wall and roof planes indeed invoke the spirit of Rudolph Schindler, the great '20s modernist whose works dot the surrounding neighborhood. This 750-square-foot addition to an 1,100-square-fott '60s box is both a strong architectural statement and a respectful neighbor.

"Here, strong planar elements reach out to the view and down to the ground to tie the house to its severely stepped lot," observed Morrall.

Supporting the projecting dining room on a pylon that reaches to the lower yard was an elegant response to the reality that the soil behind the existing retaining wall simply could not support the addition. Decking and stairways fan from the pylon, tying the house to the garden.

As well as changing an existing open-plan kitchen, dining, and living space into larger discrete areas, the design added a master suite, study, workshop, and decks to the lower level.